Each of the 2012 Top 10 CNN Heroes will have his or her story told by celebrities at the live event, which takes place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. During the live celebration, the 2012 CNN Hero of the Year will be announced.

Airing just prior to CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will be a one-hour presentation, CNN Heroes: Sharing the Spotlight at 8pm ET, hosted by Cooper. The special features exclusive interviews with NE-YO (conducted by HLN’s Showbiz Tonight host A.J. Hammer), Ben Stiller, and Christy Turlington Burns, who talk about their passions, foster care, Haiti, and maternal health, respectively. The special will feature live cut-ins from CNN’s Nischelle Turner, providing red carpet coverage and interviews with luminaries in attendance.

Now in its sixth year, the CNN Heroes initiative has received more than 45,000 nominations from more than 100 countries and profiled over 180 everyday heroes doing extraordinary work. Voting is now closed for this year’s top 10 nominees.

Stories and photo galleries of the Top 10 CNN Heroes who will be honored on Dec. 2, can be found at www.CNNHeroes.com.

During the broadcast, viewers can participate in a ‘CNN Heroes’ live blog at CNN.com/Backstage. The companion experience will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, videos, trivia and comments from host Anderson Cooper, presenters and performers. Viewers can “join the conversation” while they watch, signing in from Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The live blog will also be available on mobile devices and in the CNN Heroes sectionof the CNN iPad app.

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